This invention relates to spectacles which enable a forward facing person to view objects behind the user. The need for rear vision spectacles was discussed in co-pending application Ser. No. 07/243,871, filed on Sept. 13, 1988. It was pointed out in the co-pending application that rear vision spectacles would entertain many of their users as well as contributing to the safety of motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists, joggers, industrial workers, servicemen, policemen and pedestrians. It was also pointed out that despite these benefits, prior concepts have not been successful because of their inherently unsightly appearance, functional deficiencies, and incompatibility with conventional type eyeglass cases. Comstock U.S. Pat. No. 2,176,167, Binner U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,246 and Teiber U.S. Pat. No. 1,691,789, were cited as being exemplary of the prior art.
The referenced co-pending application disclosed a pair of rear vision spectacles having pair of folded single pivot rear vision elements which ar independently adjustable to operative rear viewing positions and to non-operative stored positions. Each element has a mounting portion with a window which is attached to the mid-portion of an eyepiece and wraps around the eyepiece in the non-operative position of the element and a reflective portion which is in side facing relationship and alongside the temples in the non-operative position. In the operative position of the elements, the mounting portions are rotated away from the eyepiece and the reflective portions are well forward of the eyepiece and visible to the user through the windows of the mounting portions. In the non-operative position of the rear vision elements, the elements are not readily discernible as separate components of the spectacles.
Although the spectacles in the referenced co-pending application provide important benefits over the prior art, one limitation of the single pivot rear vision elements is that the angular and lateral locations of the reflective portions wherein objects behind a user are viewed cannot be separately adjusted because the elements are rotatable about a single axes and the angular relationships of the mounting and reflective portions are fixed.